Whale Weekly
Published on February 28, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Connecticut Whale News Release
The Whale (28-24-2-6, 64 pts.) started off a three-game road trip this past week with a big win over the Pirates last Monday afternoon, topping Portland 2-1 in overtime on Wade Redden's shorthanded game-winner. Connecticut then made one of their longest trips of the season to battle the Charlotte Checkers in a two-game set on Thursday and Saturday, falling by a 5-1 score in the first tilt before dropping a 1-0 duel in the second. In addition to Redden, Whale goal-scorers in this week's action included Brodie Dupont and Evgeny Grachev. Dov Grumet-Morris stopped 35 of the 36 shots he faced in 83 minutes of action on the week.
This week:
The Whale return home to face their I-91 rivals, the Springfield Falcons, Wednesday night at the XL Center in an important Atlantic Division contest (7:00 PM faceoff), before heading back on the road to play two of the first three games of a three-game road trip. The Whale will head north to face Springfield again on Saturday (7:00 PM faceoff), before visiting another Atlantic Division opponent in the Worcester Sharks on Sunday afternoon (3:00 PM faceoff).
Wednesday, March 2 vs. Springfield at the XL Center, 7:00 PM
There will be a "Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl Appreciation Night" promotion for this game, as Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl ticket purchasers who present their Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl ticket stub at the XL Center ticket office can purchase one $19 or $12 ticket for the March 2 game, and receive a second of equal or lesser value free. On top of that, the Whale will add a coupon for 15% off all Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl merchandise. The coupon is redeemable at the Whale Pro Shop, which is located in the Hartford Store at 45 Pratt St. in downtown Hartford and is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 AM to 4:30 PM. The coupon is good only for Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl merchandise.
This will be the sixth meeting of the season between the Whale and the Falcons and the third between the teams at XL Center, Springfield's first visit since November 13.
The Whale holds a record of 2-1-1-1 in their five games versus Springfield, winning the last two clashes by outscoring the Falcons by a combined margin of 10-3.
Mike Blunden (2-2-4) and John Moore (1-3-4) pace the Falcons in scoring against the Whale with four points apiece.
The Falcons had a three-game winning streak snapped on Sunday, as they lost 5-4 on the road to the AHL-leading Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Springfield (30-27-1-3) has won six of its last eight games (6-2-0-0), to put them in a tie for fourth place in the Atlantic Division with the Whale with 64 points.
Rookie and team-leading point-getter Tomas Kubalik ranks second among AHL rookie scorers with 40 points (19-21-40), and has two goals in his last three games.
Radio - live with Bob Crawford in HD on WTIC's 96.5 HD 2 and on-line at www.CTwhale.com and www.wtic.com .
Saturday, March 5 at Springfield (MassMutual Center), 7:00 PM
The Falcons are 15-14-1-1 on home ice this season, but have won five of their last six tilts on home ice (5-1-0-0).
Springfield owns the AHL's third-best penalty-killing unit at 85.2% and the Falcons have scored seven shorthanded goals this season.
Nick Holden scored twice for the Falcons in Sunday's defeat against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, while Captain Ben Guite and Brent Regner both scored once. David Savard tallied two assists in the contest.
The Falcons have scored at least four goals in four straight games, scoring 17 times during those contests.
Radio - live with Bob Crawford in HD on WTIC's 96.5 HD 2 and on-line at www.CTwhale.com and www.wtic.com .
Sunday, March 6 at Worcester (DCU Center), 3:00 PM
The Sharks snapped a three-game skid (0-1-0-2) with a 5-2 home win over the Atlantic Division-leading Manchester Monarchs on Sunday.
Jamie McGinn tallied two goals in Worcester's victory over Manchester, and both Benn Ferriero and Brandon Mashinter recorded two assists. Nick Schaus, Tommy Wingels and T.J. Trevelyan each also scored once.
McGinn has posted 11 points (7-4-11) in just 13 games for the Sharks this season.
The Whale are 3-1-0-1 in five games against the Sharks on the year, and have a win and a shootout loss to show for two previous visits to Worcester.
Worcester will visit the Portland Pirates Tuesday night, before starting a four-game homestand beginning with tilts against Manchester on Friday and Charlotte on Saturday.
The Sharks took three of five home dates in February, earning seven out of a possible ten points in the process (3-1-0-1).
Radio - live with Bob Crawford in HD on WTIC's 96.5 HD 2 and on-line at www.CTwhale.com and www.wtic.com .
Recent Transactions:
Cam Talbot - Loaned by the Whale to Greenville (ECHL) February 21.
Alexandre Imbeault - Signed by the Whale to a Professional Tryout (PTO) agreement February 21 and released February 27.
Francis Lemieux - Signed by the Whale to a Professional Tryout (PTO) agreement February 20 and released February 27.
Tim Kennedy - Recalled by the New York Rangers from the Whale, and traded to Florida, February 26.
Michael Del Zotto - Returned to the Whale by the New York Rangers February 26.
Practice: All Whale practices are open to the media at the XL Center or Champions Skating Center in Cromwell. As schedules are subject to last-minute changes, please call the public relations department at (860) 541-4725 before attending a practice.
Tues., March 1 10:30 AM - 12 Noon, XL Center
Wed., March 2 10:00 - 10:30 AM, XL Center (Game vs. Springfield) Thurs., March 3 10:30 AM - 12 Noon, Champions Skating Center Fri., March 4 10:30 AM - 12 Noon, Champions Skating Center
Sat., March 5 9:45 - 10:15 AM, Trinity College (Game at Springfield)
Sun., March 6 Game at Worcester
Mon., March 7 10:30 AM - Noon, Champions Skating Center
Whale Tales:
Individual tickets for Whale home games are on sale now at the XL Center ticket office and all Ticketmaster locations. Tickets may also be charged by phone at 1-800-745-3000 or online at www.CTwhale.com . Tickets start at $7 each at the XL Center ticket office on game day.
For information on Whale ticket packages, group sales and VIP packages, call (860) 728-3366
The merchandise stands at the XL Center are carrying a full selection of Whale items, including hats, t-shirts, hoodies, jackets, pucks, mini-sticks and even plush toy whales. Whale merchandise is also available at the Whale Pro Shop, which is located at 45 Pratt St. in downtown Hartford and is open 10 AM to 4 PM Monday through Saturday, and two hours before every home game. Fans preferring to shop on the web can check out the Whale selection on-line at www.ctwhaleshop.com .
Once again this season, the Whale are partnering with WTIC Radio to air Whale hockey action. All of the Whale's regular-season and playoff games will air on 96.5 WTIC-FM's HD 2 channel and will be streamed on-line at www.wtic.com . Select games will be carried live on the 50,000-watt AM powerhouse, WTIC NewsTalk 1080.
American Hockey League Stories from February 28, 2011
- Peter Delmas Assigned to Wheeling - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Rangers Recall Goaltender Cam Talbot from ECHL Greenville - Connecticut Whale
- Forward John Mitchell Acquired by Rangers, Assigned to Whale - Connecticut Whale
- Phantoms Acquire Tom Sestito - Adirondack Phantoms
- Black and Gold Game Returns - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Edmonton Makes Two Trades That Impact Barons - Oklahoma City Barons
- Atlanta Recalls Mannino and Maxwell, Returns Machacek to Chicago - Chicago Wolves
- Minnesota Wild Acquires Jeff Penner, Mikko Lehtonen from Boston Bruins - Houston Aeros
- B's Acquire G Anton Khudobin from Wild for Penner, RFA Rights to Lehtonen - Providence Bruins
- Capitals Acquire Jason Arnott from New Jersey - Hershey Bears
- Canucks Re-Assign Hodgson & Oreskovich to Moose - Manitoba Moose
- Kings Acquire Penner; Teubert Traded to the Oilers - Manchester Monarchs
- Potulny Dealt to Ottawa - Rockford IceHogs
- Islanders Recall Justin DiBenedetto - Bridgeport Islanders
- Blues Recall Porter and Reaves from Peoria - Peoria Rivermen
- Canucks Trade Perrault to Anaheim & Acquire Macgregor Sharp - Manitoba Moose
- Canucks Trade Evan Oberg to Florida Panthers - Manitoba Moose
- Rampage Weekly Update - San Antonio Rampage
- Bulldogs Play Two Teams In Three Games This Week - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Whale Re-Sign Francis Lemieux, Alexandre Imbeault to PTOs - Connecticut Whale
- Phantoms Weekly - Adirondack Phantoms
- Barons Weekly Report - Oklahoma City Barons
- Montreal Acquires Drew Macintyre from the Atlanta in Return for Brett Festerling - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Anaheim Ducks Acquire Joel Perrault and 2012 Third-Round Pick from Vancouver - Syracuse Crunch
- Senators Trade Campoli to Chicago for Potulny and a Second-Round Draft Pick in 2011 - Binghamton Senators
- Kings Sign Williams to Four-Year Extension - Manchester Monarchs
- Week Twenty One: Green Getting It Done - Syracuse Crunch
- Wolves Weekly Notes - Chicago Wolves
- Monarchs Weekly Report - Manchester Monarchs
- Hogs Finish Strong in Week 21, Sweep Weekend - Rockford IceHogs
- Get on Board with 2011-12 Season Tickets - Peoria Rivermen
- Wild Recalls Peters from Aeros, Assigns Almond to Houston - Houston Aeros
- Heat Hot Sheet - Five Road Games in Six Nights this Week - Abbotsford Heat
- Whale Weekly - Connecticut Whale
- Senators Re-Assign Goaltender Robin Lehner to Binghamton - Binghamton Senators
- Rochester's Tyler Plante Named Reebok/AHL Player of the Week - AHL
- Coyotes Acquire Rostislav Klesla and Dane Byers - San Antonio Rampage
- Wolves and TeleBrands on the Prowl for the Next Big Invention - Chicago Wolves
- Crunch Players to Sign Autographs at Dick's Sporting Goods March 2 - Syracuse Crunch
- Forney Sent to Gwinnett - Chicago Wolves
- Crunch Announce Details of Central New York Air Hockey Tournament Series - Syracuse Crunch
- B's Acquire Laliberte and Chaput from Ducks - Providence Bruins
- Anaheim Acquires Brian McGrattan and Sean Zimmerman from Boston - Syracuse Crunch
- Buffalo Sabres Acquire Brad Boyes from St. Louis - Portland Pirates
- Nemisz Returned to Abbotsford Heat - Abbotsford Heat
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
